This #WomeninEngineering is no stranger to HERA, and is a role model in terms of her approach to business which looks to disrupt the way things are done – taking her team on a real journey along the way.
Longveld’s Managing Director Pam Roa has a sense of curiosity that has been developed from her science, manufacturing and trade engineering background. And with over twenty five years in business, and more than a decade of formal governance experience – she brings a commercial nous and values-based perspective to her board work.
We really got to know Pam better through her attendance at our Innovation READY program last year, and since then we’ve seen some really brave leadership take place at Longveld. Most recently – her commitment for better work-life balance for her team through the trialing of a four day work week.
What do you love about your job?
I love challenging the unnecessary limitations people put on their thinking and having the “what if” conversations.
The worst thing you can say to me is “but it’s always been done this way”. That’s guaranteed to make steam come out of my ears!
What are the key challenges facing women in Engineering?
I think specific gender challenges in engineering are ebbing off. Female engineers are being snapped up by employers in our region and seem to have many opportunities to choose from. Our key customers hire many qualified engineers and I see an excellent gender balance now amongst those recruits.
The challenge is getting more young women into trade engineering apprenticeships, like sheetmetal fabrication for our industry.
We haven’t had any success with our efforts in getting young women moving into apprenticeships via the national Trades Academy programme so we are rethinking our strategy now on how to target 13 and 14 year olds with specific opportunities and mentoring.
University put me on my career path but it’s only one of many options and I’m a strenuous advocate for vocational training and on-the-job learning.
What impact do you want to make in your career?
I want to be able to look back on my life and reflect on how I have walked beside people encouraging them to have an open heart and an open mind.
Get to know more about Pam, by checking out her last years profile for #INWED18 here.